Point of Sale (POS) terminals, such as vend card devices, are currently used in industry and the higher education market to control access to copiers and Multi-Function Devices (MFDs) and to charge customers for their usage. Access can be limited due to which devices recognize a user's account and how easy it is to get or renew accounts. These vend devices are expensive to purchase and have a high overhead to administer and maintain. Consequently, these devices tend to be available in limited locations (e.g., campus library, corporate headquarters) even though other MFDs may be available closer to the potential users.
Furthermore, even when MFDs are available, some of these systems do not readily support non-standard or ad-hoc usage of the system (e.g., usage by non-students, or individuals who have not yet setup an account). Alternatives that make it economically feasible to provide access to a larger population of MFDs and better support ad-hoc usage are desired.